Android 12 is by far Google's most downloaded beta, but have you tried it?

XDA

Android 12 is "by far" Google's most downloaded beta, but have you tried it yet?

By Mishaal Rahman

Published Jun 13, 2021

Google says that Android 12 is the most downloaded Android beta release ever, but we're wondering how many of you have actually tried it?

Google released the second Android 12 beta a couple of days ago, and there are a lot of changes that Google didn't mention in its official announcement of the release. That's par for the course, though, as anything they don't announce will eventually be discovered by the community. There are many things that only Google knows about, though, including information like download statistics. While Google hasn't shared exact numbers for how many people have downloaded the Android 12 beta, Google's VP of Engineering on Android â€” Dave Burke â€” revealed that it's "by far" the most downloaded/installed betaÂ ever.

Without numbers, it's hard to compare exactly how successful the Android 12 beta is compared to betas for older Android releases. Though a beta release is available for over a dozen of other Android devices, it's unlikely that many users have actually installed the beta assuming the average person is likely unaware of it, are unwilling to risk installing potentially buggy software, or don't own a compatible device. Even among Pixel users, who have access to the most stable beta release, it's unlikely many have dipped their toes into the "Snow Cone" beta.

That being said, XDA readers are far more likely than others to install beta software, even if it's not from an official source. Thus, we're wondering if you've tried out a pre-release build of Android 12 yet â€” whether it's the official beta from Google or an OEM, Google's prebuilt GSI, or a third-party port of Google's beta. We'd like to know your thoughts on Android 12 Beta 1 and 2: Do you like all of the changes you've seen so far?Â If you aren't a fan of some of the changes or features, what do you propose be done about them? Personally, I'm a huge fan of the new wallpaper-based theming and Material You design changes, but I'm not a fan of the new power menu that got rid of the Device Controls integration.

If you have any thoughts on the Android 12 Beta, please let us know in the comments, and be sure to fill out Google's survey so the company is aware of how you feel. If you encounter any bugs like the ones we mentioned in our coverage, be sure to give detailed feedback so Google can fix them before the stable release!